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Author: andsewi

Decided on how to quilt the big girls quilt and having finished the other one I was working on I cracked straight on!! Stitches and machine tested all good!!! Or so I thought!…

No I noticed a few stitches were skipped! Being me I carried on hoping it would stop and I really wanting to feel like I was make some progress! Eventually I stopped in despair and turned to my trusty quilting Facebook group and a friend came to the rescue. Turns out after refilling the bobbin something was catching! I must remember not to panic till I have re threaded it completely and cleaned it out and given it a new needle! 99% of problems solved by those.

With the stitching solved it was great I could crack on but again I rushed and didn’t properly mark my diagonal lines so ended up with a load of wonky lines. Need to also look at the quilt from a distance as I missed this by not looking at it from a distance.

Now to find my trusty unpicked… And then masking tape to mark the lines to follow!

This I started last summer while pregnant and building work was going on.. as you do when you have no energy and loads to do.

The fabric is a Robert Kaufman range by Carolyn Friedlander – Botanics. I bought the jelly roll at Sandown when big girl was the age baby is now so – 4 years ago. The fabrics attracted me because of there slightly architectural look and had a colour gradient! Diving straight in making up as I went along, I played with mixing the fabrics with unsatisfactory results. I subsequently grouped the colours in rows of 5 to a gradient. The grey gradient didn’t really work so I did some un-picking and made the central strip dark and gradient out. The grey group then evolved into the central section and 2 colour types splitting either side. Then I decided to add another level and make it a stack/ stitch/ slice and flip quilt with some of the light fabrics from the jelly rolls as sashing. Left overs from the rolls was mixed bold and light to make the binding.

I managed to finished the top before Christmas and then basted it while 8.5 months pregnant with 2 other projects – It was a good time to be crawling around on the floor!!. A couple of weeks ago I dragged it out to work on while I struggled with what to do with my big girls quilt.

I made up how I was going to straight line quilt it as I went along. Echoing the seams and doing double rows to high light the flipped section and central dark grey horizontally. The husband liked the larger gaps you see but I think I should possibly have gone for denser quilting. I also need to work on consistency with the spacing between rows.

The attention to detail I paid when pecicing has paid off as it was all pretty square so an improvement there. While quilting a couple of the seams on the top started to come loose which is annoying but possibly down to trimming or maybe I need to lock the stitches at the end of each row.

Press ganged my twin nieces into holding the quilt so I could photograph it! I think I’m going to have to make them quilts at some point soon based on there reaction! Only problem is I know there will want harry potter and not something timeless!

Best thing about quilting is the appreciation and praise I get! Especially from this one who has adopted this quilt pending completion of her own!

I had a similar toy to this and loved playing with it and making the patterns which I think its why I bought it for my big girl. Until now its not been a huge interest for her but she dug it out the cupboard and I couldn’t resist having a play with it too.

There are some lovely EPP patterns here but I am slightly struggling to get past the primary colours. Also to make something of a decent size would take me centuries at my current rate so thinking about speeding it up/ modifying the process of an impatient person like me. They also all seem to make up a hexagon or triangle. I enjoyed working out how to make more difficult shapes repeat.

I forgot to take a photo again!! This just shows how much of a great time I’m having. There were 4 of us this time. 2 from last time and 2 who couldn’t make it before. I was sewing on the binding for a UFO, there was also knitting, crochet and embroidery. Lots of chat, really positive stuff about rediscovery of you after loosing your identity having children and realising that worrying about what other people think about you is bullshit (sorry mum I know you hate me swearing). Also just doing something creative for the process and not worrying about the outcome! Thanks ladies lovely to spend time with you once again! xxx

Mug Rugs!!! I love them, so much better than a boring coaster and they also soak up any spills or condensation. These rainbow strips I got as samples from a long shut down website/ shop – Strawberry Fayre. I had to do something with these strip how ever small. I was not precious so just sewed them together really quick (had to be a colour gradient) not even fussing about even rows and then grab batting, backing and bias binding from the stash of leftovers. In total about an hour was spent on the two and it got me back into sewing and a mental break after the baby.

I couple of weeks ago I bumped into an old horse friend from my sharing days before children. I literally shouted across the stable yard “I know you” to buy time till I could remember her name! Catching up with news on the old horses and people I was encouraged and now able to get in contact with the owner of my old horse share. This weekend I went to see her and the second love of my life ROSS!

How beautiful is he.. doesn’t look a day older and certainly not his 26 years!!! Unfortunately, his mummy can’t quite get down as much as she would like to give him some love so I am going to go down and see him hopefully once a week for a chat, groom walk-out and maybe some lunging. I can’t wait! Unfortunately, being out of the saddle so long, the weight I have put on since having my big girl and his increased years means I don’t think it would be fair to ride him. Maybe something to remember as I reach for the biscuits, cake or chocolate. I expect one day soon he will feature in some kind of sewing. I fancy trying a raw edge applique..

In other news, the summer holidays are here and I’m spending lots of time with both my girls. I’m trying to pace myself and doing quiet sitting activities as much as possible. At the first stitch and bitch I was shown a you tube video and it included a simple braiding with cardboard circle so I though I would try it with my big girl. She can do it and does it but it looses her attention quite quickly which is to be expected at 4 1/2yrs. I on the other hand am finding it quite addictive!

Over the last couple of weeks I have been working on a UFO started last summer. I jelly roll I can’t remember its name but had it for a few years without having the courage to do something with it. I will do full post on it once its finished but hear is a sneak peak…. just the binding to hand stitch.

I could these 2 books for a bargain £12 posted. Really wanted the foundation paper piecing one as I love the blue quilt and want to do some paper piecing but not just going at it! Actually following some good instructions. This is why I have not started the Tuffet yet as I’m petrified I will bugger it up as I have tweaked it/ strayed from the pattern and don’t want to regret just going at it!

I have also been looking high and low for my first ever quilting book as there is a pattern in there that I want to make. I may have had the fabric and pattern for over 6 years so its pretty high up my make list (which is all in my head).

Lastly, found with my first book was a right surprise! A few weeks ago I saw on UK quilters united a folded fabric colour gradient star cushion – saved the picture and asked for more info.. looked up the book and decided I didn’t have enough time at the moment but logged it in the memory….. I have that book… my mummy got it for me many moons ago not sure when exactly…. Also its signed and dedicated to me… its a funny old world. I remember mum giving me the book a few years ago and me writing it off as way too old fashioned… maybe I’m getting old fashioned!

I really enjoy life drawing! Not men so much but I do love the curves and lines of women’s bodies. At school I did a couple of art trips to St.Ives and had my first taste then, an embarrassed teen. Once I got to looking past the nakedness and looked just seeing shapes it all came together.

These two charcoal sketches were done in St Ives all those many years ago. During many of my ruthless throw-outs I couldn’t bear to part with them as I think I’m very proud of them and it reminds me that I can produce good things if I work at something. They have now found a place out of a portfolio in the loft. Each is pride of place in a bathroom and when I look at them they make me smile.

Well I gifted it! I was way more excited about giving it than finishing it. It went down well and I got this amazing message which means so much.

After I gifted it I also posted a picture on the UK Quilters United and I couldn’t stop smiling when I got 217 likes and loads of lovely comments! Made my Month!! And for something I had pretty much dismissed as just a Jelly Roll!